Gallura is ready to welcome a record 110 crews as it prepares for the 12th edition of Rally Terra Sarda, set to take place from Friday, 4th October to Sunday, 6th October. Organized by Porto Cervo Racing, this year’s rally will be a triple-header event, featuring the final round of the TER Series, the penultimate round of the TER-Tour European Rally, and the 4th Rally Terra Sarda Storico for historic vehicles.
With 97 crews participating in the modern category and 13 in the historic division, the starting list is packed with top talent and diversity, ensuring a weekend filled with high-speed action and spectacular performances. The competition will see a host of renowned drivers, including defending champion Osian Pryce, who will be piloting a Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo, and Vittorio Musselli, who will debut the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 for the first time.
The Rally2 class, featuring 21 entries, promises fierce battles for supremacy. Key contenders include Nicola Tali, Marino Gessa, and Auro Siddi, all driving Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evos, while Maurizio Diomedi, Loris Mattia Ronzano, and Andrea Pisano will be pushing hard in their Škoda Fabia RS models. In addition, drivers such as Ronnie Caragliu, Alberto Roveta, Roberto Cocco, and Antonio Dettori will be returning to action with the Škoda Fabia Rally2, adding more excitement to the category.
Rachele Somaschini, the leader in the TER-Tour European Rally standings, will compete in her Citroën C3 Rally2, aiming to maintain her dominant position. Meanwhile, the home team, Porto Cervo Racing, will have strong representation from Sandro Locci and Marco Canu, both in Skoda Fabia Rally2 cars.
The historic rally category will see Timothy Metcalfe, driving a Ford Escort RS from the 3rd Group, compete against French driver Philippe Giordalengo in another Escort RS. The battle in the vintage class will also include Fabrizio Colombi’s BMW M3, Marc Laboisse’s Porsche 911, and Gabriele Rossi’s Ford RS Cosworth, last year’s winner. Other classic entries include the Renault 5 GTT of Gianluca Mannazzu, Pietro Pes di San Vittorio’s Opel Kadett, and four Peugeot 205s. Rounding out the grid are the Fiat Ritmo Abarth of Carlo Volpe and the Fiat 128 of Gianfranco Cambedda.
The event has attracted entries from 15 different nations, further solidifying Rally Terra Sarda’s position as a major international event on the rally calendar. The collaboration between Porto Cervo Racing, the City of Zagreb, and the Croatian Auto and Karting Association has been instrumental in bringing the event to fruition, showcasing the stunning roads and challenging stages of the Gallura region to the world.
Race Program and Highlights
The 2024 Rally Terra Sarda will span three days, featuring twelve special stages covering a total of 72 kilometres of timed sections. The rally kicks off on Friday, 4th October, with the opening of the “Festival di Mirtò” Village at 10 am in the picturesque setting of Porto Cervo’s Promenade du Port in Arzachena. Technical and sporting checks begin at 3:30 pm, followed by the official race presentation and press conference at 6:30 pm.
The action intensifies on Saturday, 5th October, with the shakedown stage at 8 am, giving drivers a final opportunity to fine-tune their setups. The ceremonial start takes place at 1:30 pm in Piazza Risorgimento, Arzachena, and the first car will leave the start line for the opening Arzachena-Città del Vino-Ayla Project stage at 1:46 pm. Competitors will then tackle the Sant’Antonio di Gallura and Tempio Pausania stages before a service break and a repeat of the three stages in the afternoon. The day ends with a night regrouping at the scenic Molo Vecchio in Porto Cervo.
Sunday’s final leg starts early, with cars heading to the service park at 7:30 am before setting off on the Aglientu-Stazzi di Gallura-Grimaldi Lines stage at 9:06 am. Two more stages follow: the Luogosanto-I castelli di Luogosanto-PPT and the Porto Cervo-Costa Smeralda-Cala Costruzioni. After a midday service break, competitors will tackle these stages once more before the grand finale and prize-giving ceremony at 3:20 pm in Porto Cervo.
With such an impressive lineup of drivers and cars, combined with the breathtaking backdrop of Sardinia’s Gallura region, the 12th Rally Terra Sarda is set to be a thrilling showcase of speed, skill, and spectacle. Stay tuned to HHrally.com for live updates, results, and exclusive coverage of this year’s event.